Ghosts Of The Past
by Demonic Irken
Summary: A prequel set a week before 'Nightmares And Monsters.' Will not make much sense unless you read that story first.
1. Chapter 1

Freddy stood on Benny's desk, examining the child's collection of CD's, running a paw over the titles. Whenever his human could not rest at night, sometimes they would put some music into the radio and listen to it as it lulled Benny to sleep.

Freddy was particularly fond of 10 Years, as well as some forms of classical music, but most of the time they just listen to whatever happens to be playing on the radio at that moment, and don't usually change the station unless neither he or Benny like a particular song or artist.

He was just thinking of how much he adored the child, and wondering how long he would be with him, when he heard the sound of a bus pulling up to their street, the signal that his beloved friend was now home from school.

A minute later, Benny opened his bedroom door and dropped his bag onto the floor without turning on the light.

 _"How was school today?"_ Freddy asked, his eyes flicking to the discarded book bag on the ground.

Benny turned on the lamp by his bed, the light brightening his room, but just still weak enough so Freddy was still able to be animate and move around and not be harmed by the light. "It was okay, I guess," Benny sighed, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. "We just learned about boring stuff like numbers and Math."

 _"Math is rather difficult,"_ Freddy agreed, _"I am not very fond of it, either."_

Benny giggled. "But you've never gone to school, Freddy! How would you know if you like it if you've never done it before?"

 _"Many children have claimed ownership of me over the years, Benny, and quite a few of them were your age or younger."_ The golden bear explained. _"Some of them were slightly older, yes, but the majority were about as old as you are now."_

"How many owners have you had?" Benny asked, curious to know. He had found Freddy at the local pawn shop down the street almost a year ago, and had loved him ever since then. His brother wasn't too fond of him, but Benny hoped that would change with time.

 _"I have had seven owners before you, not all of them kind,_ " Freddy said lightly, climbing off of the desk and making his way over to the bed where Benny lay, climbing up to snuggle by the young human's side.

Benny was perplexed. "How could they not be nice to you? Everyone loves plushies! Especially cuddling with them because they're so soft and warm."

" _Well, some of my previous owners were not as loving as you are to me,"_ Freddy explained, lightly placing a paw on Benny's cheek in a gesture of affection, _"Most of them would not even bother to pay me any mind at all, and would leave me on a shelf all alone to rot, feeling unloved and forgotten."_

"That's horrible!" Benny gasped, pulling him close against his chest to comfort him. "I'd never do that to you!"

 _"I know you wouldn't. I also had one or two owners who would carry me around with them everywhere they went. I had opportunities to see the world outside of their homes, and it was wonderful. I saw so many places far and wide. Some of the parents, though, were not so pleased with that."_

"Where did you go when you were with them?"

 _"Many places. Georgia and Colorado, Kansas City, and Washington, to name a few of them."_

"What was Colorado like?" Benny asked, getting excited now. "I've never been there."

 _"It is very beautiful. The mountains are the most amazing thing I have ever seen, and many of them still had snow on their peaks even during the summertime due to how high up they are."_

"Wow, that's really cool!" Benny squeaked, excitement in his tone. "Do you think we could go there one day?"

 _"Perhaps, but I am not certain. It is quite far from here, and would take a significant amount of time to get there."_

"Okay," Benny sighed, disappointed. "What did you see in Georgia?"

 _"Georgia is very hot most of the time, and the people who live there speak differently than those over here. Their manner of speaking is… quite peculiar. They have alligators there, too, and lizards and wild geckos, and some birds that I had never seen before then."_

"I hope I get to go there one day." Benny said in wonder, "That would be amazing! It sounds like heaven."

 _"It is very fun, and I believe that you would love it immensely. You would be so happy there with me."_

Benny nodded and got out his books from school. Freddy watched him. _"Do you have homework again?"_

"Yeah, I do." The child said irritably, "I have to do Math and Science. I hate doing homework."

 _"Do you require my assistance?"_ Freddy offered. Sometimes, he would help Benny with his homework when he was struggling on a certain subject. He knew a little bit of each subject due to all the times he had watched his previous owners learn how to do their schoolwork, and had picked up on a few things along the way to make it easier.

"I guess so," Benny said, opening his Math book. "I gotta learn addition and subtraction."

Freddy glanced over the pages. _"This doesn't look too difficult. I should be able to help."_

Benny smiled at that and got to work, writing down the problems and answers until he got to one that he was struggling with. "Freddy, what's eighty-seven plus fifty-three?"

 _"There is no way you are getting me to tell you the answer to that,"_ Freddy said teasingly, _"That would be cheating. Nice try, though."_

Benny smiled and giggled. "Dang, I thought that would work!"

So Benny was forced to figure out the answers on his own, with Freddy making sure that the answers were correct, occasionally offering his input and suggestions to help him out. When he was finally done with that, he put his homework away and zipped up his bag. "Do you wanna do something else for a while?"

 _"I thought you still had Science to do."_

"We can do that later." Benny said dismissively, "Now that I've finished my Math, the rest of it will be easy, and Science is my favorite subject, anyway."

Freddy watched as Benny went to the closet and pulled down a board game. "Right now I feel like spending time with you. Do you like chess?"

 _"I have played a few times with one of my past owners, and yes, I do enjoy it."_ Freddy said as his human friend began to take out the pieces to the game.

"Do you wanna be red or black?"

 _"Whichever color you choose would be fine with me, though I would prefer to be red."_

"Then I'll be black." Benny got out the red pieces and handed them to Freddy while setting up his own pieces. "Is red your favorite color?"

 _"As a matter of fact, it is."_ Freddy said proudly. _"How did you know?"_

Benny shrugged. "Lucky guess, I suppose." He finished setting up his pieces and helped Freddy with his. When everything was ready, he smiled. "Okay, I'll let you go first."

 _"Thank you,"_ Freddy moved one of his pawns forward. _"Your move."_

Benny also moved one of his own pawns, and they each took turns moving each of their respective pieces until Benny managed to take one of Freddy's Rooks. "Ha! Got you!" He said triumphantly with a grin on his face, his eyes alight with happiness and excitement.

 _"I would not be so sure of that,"_ Freddy retorted as he swiftly captured Benny's Queen piece.

The young child was shocked. His smile disappeared. "Man, I should have seen that coming," he muttered in disbelief.

 _"You let your guard down when moving your Rook, allowing me an opportunity to take your Queen,"_ Freddy explained while he examined his remaining pieces for any other moves he could make. _"One thing I have learned with this game is that you should never assume that you are going to win, or that you are better than the one you are playing against."_ He looked into Benny's eyes. _"It could be your downfall."_

The human sighed. "Okay, I understand." As he moved to pick up one of his other Pawns, the sleeve of his shirt fell back, revealing a bruise on his arm.

Freddy stopped as his gaze fell on it. He narrowed his eyes. _"Benny. What is on your arm?"_

Benny's hand instinctively went to the bruise, and he gasped. He quickly pulled up his sleeve, but he knew that Freddy had already seen it. "It's nothing," he lied, his eyes staring shamefully at the chess board, "I just tripped at school this morning while I was at recess."

 _"That,"_ Freddy said while pointing a claw at the area where the bruise was, _"does not look like nothing, and it does not look like you fell. It looks like someone hurt you."_ He growled softly at the thought of someone harming his precious child. " _Who was it?"_

"It wasn't anyone." Benny muttered quietly, "I just fell, like I said. I was chasing a basketball at recess, and I tripped on the curb. It's okay, it will heal."

Freddy stared at him, not believing his story. It didn't sound very truthful, and Freddy was good at knowing when someone was lying to him, and Benny most certainly was not being honest with him.

 _"Benny. Please just tell me who hurt you."_ He pleaded, worried for his friend's safety. " _I promise that I will not be angry with you."_

"I… I just…" Benny faltered, not knowing what to say. "I don't wanna talk about it right now."

The golden bear knew that Benny's silence was most likely due to him being too afraid of his tormentor to say anything more about what had really happened. Whoever had caused his beloved human to be harmed would be receiving a visit from him if this did not end soon. They had become a hostile bully, and Freddy knew a thing or two about bullies, considering that he currently lived with one.

" _I cannot help you unless you tell me what happened."_ Freddy said desperately, their game of chess now abandoned and nearly forgotten, _"They will continue hurting you until you finally break or fight back, and I do not want that for you. I dislike seeing you injured, you are aware of that. Aaron is already hurting you enough as it is, and adding another one to the mix will be too much for you to handle."_

Benny stood up and began putting away the chess game, eyes downcast and his expression one of sadness and fear. He put the board game on a shelf in his closet, and then he left the room, leaving the door open so that Freddy could roam around the house if he felt the desire to do so.

The child went into the kitchen to make himself some lunch, getting some pizza out of the fridge. He wanted to tell Freddy what was going on at school, but he doubted that he could do much to help. Besides, Benny had already told the teachers what was going on, and they had said that they would take care of it. Freddy had nothing to be concerned about. It would work itself out.

" _I am only worried for your safety,"_ Freddy's voice suddenly in his head again, " _because I love you. I understand you are scared, and that is okay."_

Benny turned, staring into the darkness of the living room, his friend's glowing eyes the only thing he could see. His food now done, Benny took it out of the microwave and sat down at the island, clearing away some of the stuff that cluttered the countertop. "I can handle it. I'll just talk with them, and then they'll leave me alone. You'll see."

 _"There is more than one?"_ Freddy said, his voice revealing his surprise at this revelation. _"I was unaware of this. I was under the assumption that it was just a single person. How many of them are hurting you?"_

Benny hesitated, taking a bite of his food. He knew Freddy was only trying to help because he was concerned, but he also didn't want anyone to get hurt.

 _"Benny. How many of them are there?"_

He sighed. If he didn't tell him now, then Freddy wouldn't stop until he told him. "There's three of them."

 _"I see. Did you tell anyone at your school about this?"_

"I told my teachers and the principal. They said they'd take care of it." He took another bite of his food.

 _"Then I trust that the situation will be resolved fairly soon."_ Freddy said, slightly relieved. " _However, If It still persists, then I will pay them a visit and make them stop."_

"No, please don't do that!" Benny exclaimed desperately, "You'd only make it worse!"

 _"I highly doubt that. I believe it would be an acceptable solution to your problem."_ The golden bear said patiently.

XXXXXXXXXX

Benny woke up screaming that night, soaked in sweat. Panting heavily, he felt around for Freddy, who usually stayed in bed with him while he slept. This time, though, he could not find him. So he stayed in his bed, shivering and cold.

He thought he saw shadows coming to life on the walls around him, and he felt helpless and alone.

Freddy came rushing into the room, ready to protect his child from whatever was scaring him. Looking around he saw nothing. His claws retracted, and his eyes went back to their usual white color. He looked to Benny and saw him shivering and appearing to be distressed.

 _"I see no immediate threats to your safety."_ He observed, slightly confused. _"Are you hurt?"_

Benny shook his head rapidly, still hyperventilating.

Now Freddy was even more perplexed. _"If you are not injured, then what is…"_ Then he understood. _"You had a nightmare. Those can be quite terrifying."_

He crawled up onto the bed to snuggle with his friend, pressing his face into Benny's neck. The human's shaking lessened slightly as Benny immediately pulled Freddy close to him for comfort, his breath fast and loud in the sentient plushies ears.

"They're gonna get me," Benny said, clutching him tighter. "They wanna kill me!"

 _"Who? Who wants to kill you? No one is here, Benny. I see no danger. It is just us. You and I."_

His child continued sniffling, making panicked noises and pulling at the blankets.

 _"Tell me what happened."_

"The others." Benny said as he buried his face into Freddy's soft fabric, and the animate plush softly licked his mouth, something that felt very comforting to him. "They took you away. Tore you up. They made me watch as you died. Then they did it to me, too."

 _"It's alright."_ Freddy whispered, staring into Benny's terrified eyes and running a paw through his hair. _"Don't be afraid. I will keep you safe."_

He felt Benny began to relax, and his shaking started to subside further, and his breathing began to slow as well. He started to look around again.

 _"Look at me."_ Freddy said, gently grabbing his chin and turning his head to keep Benny's attention on him. _"I will never leave you. I will not ever let anyone take me away from you. We will be okay."_

Benny had been dreaming about a few of the kids at his parties again. The bad ones, the ones who wanted to hurt him with words and try to steal his things. He'd been having these dreams for the last few days, and this was quickly becoming a regular thing for them now. Freddy did what he could to keep his friend calm when these moments came, but they were happening much more frequently than he would have liked them to be, and it was beginning to worry him.

Benny would see those kids at his school everyday, too, because they were in the same class as him, and from what Benny had told him, the teacher does fuck all to help whenever it happens, which was almost everyday.

 _"Are these the same ones who hurt you last night?"_ Freddy asked, his voice quiet and calm.

The child nodded. "Yes. They won't stop. They said they wouldn't. They said if I told anyone that it would get worse."

 _"I will help you get through this,"_ Freddy decided. " _You will be okay. Now, rest. I will stay with you until morning."_

Benny nodded and closed his eyes, falling asleep to the sound of Freddy humming a nameless tune in his mind, a lullaby.

 _"Tomorrow is another day."_

The next morning, Benny woke up to a light tapping on his shoulder. He sat up in bed and turned on his bedside lamp, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?" He knew who had woken him.

 _"Almost 7:00,"_ Freddy said. He had something in his paws. He held it out to him. " _You should wake up, you have school in an hour. I brought you some food."_

Benny took the object and examined it. It was a chocolate chip cookie. He laughed tiredly. "Freddy, I can't have sugar this early in the morning! You know that."

 _"Food is food,"_ Freddy said dismissively, _"It is all the same to me."_

Benny threw back his blankets and got out of bed, stretching his limbs. He picked up Freddy and made his way downstairs to the kitchen to eat breakfast, putting the cookie Freddy had given him back into the cookie jar on the counter next to the oven.

He opened the fridge and got some pancakes and heated them up in the microwave, putting syrup and butter on them after they were done. Freddy climbed up onto the table. _"I hope this day will be good to you."_

Benny swallowed what he had in his mouth and smiled. "Yeah, me too."

 _"Think positive."_ Freddy suggested. _"I know that is hard to do sometimes, but please try. Think of me, if it would help you through until the end of the day."_

The young child finished his breakfast and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Okay, I will." He looked at the clock. "Oh gosh, I gotta go, the bus is gonna be here any minute!" He put his plate in the sink.

Freddy walked up to him and wrapped his arms around Benny's neck, hugging him. _"I will miss you."_

"I'll miss you, too." Benny said sadly.

 _"I love you, Benny."_ Freddy said, nuzzling his friend's face. _"I love you so dearly."_

"I love you, too, Freddy." He put him down. "I gotta go now. Be good."

 _"Always."_ The Golden bear said, already starting to miss his most beloved human.

Then Benny was gone, closing the door behind him.

 **A/N: This was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but then I got to thinking about all the ideas I have for this story, so now I'm deciding that this is gonna be a prequel to 'Nightmares And Monsters,' so if you haven't read that story yet, feel free to do so now.**

 **Aaron will also be in this story in the next chapter, so goody for that, I guess. This story is set a week before the main one, so this might only be, I wanna say maybe another two or three chapters? I really don't know. Anyway, I know that I promised a one-shot, but I just have so many ideas. Hope making this a prequel is still okay?**


	2. Chapter 2

Benny walked down the path to the bus stop, wishing that he still had Freddy with him. The bear was back at the house, alone with only the silence for company. The cold bit at his face and hands, and he could see his breath. His backpack was slung over his shoulder, and his shoes crunched the gravel beneath his feet.

The wind made it hard for him to breathe, and he struggled to take oxygen into his lungs. He wouldn't mind the cold so much if Freddy had been with him, then his warmth would help to keep the shivers away.

Benny did not like school. Everyone made fun of him because of the way he talked very fondly of his stuffed animals, especially Freddy. That first day he had spoken to the child and introduced himself was one of the greatest days of his entire life, and he had been so happy to have a friend to talk to about anything.

No one had believed him when he told them that Freddy was animate and alive, but they sure had made it out to seem like Benny was an outcast and a freak. Now most of the kids in his class refused to talk to him because they didn't want to be seen conversing with 'the crazy kid.'

 _"Do not listen to them,"_ Freddy had said to him one day when Benny had told him about it, _"they are not the kind of humans that will like you for who you are. They would only use you for their own selfish desires, and it is only for the best if you avoid them."_

"No one at school likes me very much.' Benny had said with tears in his little eyes. "They all laugh at me."

Freddy placed a paw on his arm, a consoling gesture. "If they give you too much trouble, I suggest that you tell someone about it. Telling me is good, but I think that your teachers could also help to solve your issue. I am sad for you, and if I could do more for you, I would. All you can do now is to be tough. Don't let them deter you. I know you are better than they are, and I am confident that one day, you will do great things. You are very smart, and they are jealous because they see something in you that they fear, and for that reason they will try to tear you down. Don't let them win."

Benny arrived at the bus stop, the memory still playing in his mind. It made him feel a little better now, lifting his spirits, and he let it calm his fears. Freddy was right, he shouldn't let the others get to him. He was better than them, and he knew that he could be something one day. He would not give into their attempts to make him feel worthless and afraid.

He marched down to the bus stop, confidence in his every step, fire burning in his eyes. He would not break today. He would be strong now. He would show them that he was not what they thought he was. No, he was better. Better than all of them.

Then, he saw his toughest rival standing there laughing with his buddies, and Benny's confidence wavered and began to fade. The fire dimmed in his eyes, and he began to doubt himself. Could he really do it this time? Could he really be as strong as Freddy believed he was?

His enemy turned toward him, and they locked eyes. Benny's heart skipped a beat, and he drew in a breath, worried now. They were relentless, these bullies. They did not know how to leave him alone.

"Well, look who it is!" One of the kids strode up to him, hands in his coat pockets and a mischievous smile plastered onto his face. He turned toward the others, the group standing by the bus stop. "Look who it is, everybody! It's our favorite little runt!"

"Leave me alone, Todd. I'm not in the mood today." Benny said quietly, looking away from the kid in front of him to stare at the ground.

Todd made a pouting face, mocking him. "Aw, well that's just too bad, isn't it, Benny?" He smiled. "Hey, maybe your stuffed bear will tell us to stop bothering you! Wouldn't that be something! Where is it, anyway?"

Benny felt the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes. He knew he always broke too easily, and he raised a hand to angrily wipe at his eyes. He always hated this part the most.

"Show them that you can be strong," He heard Freddy say as another memory, from a few days ago, played in his mind. "Show them you are brave. If you stand up to them and let them know that you are not to be messed with, they will not bother you anymore. I believe you are strong. Try it and you will see."

Benny began to feel angry as the teasing persisted and escalated. He made his hands into fists, and his fingernails dug into his skin. His breathing grew rapid, and his mind clouded over with hate towards his tormentors.

"Your dumb, stupid toy can't save you!" Todd crowed as he laughed. "If you ever bring it with you here again, we'll be keeping it for ourselves! We're gonna have such fun with it, setting it on fire, ripping out its stuffing and using it as bedding for my hamster."

That was Benny's breaking point. He let out a yell, and when he regained his senses, he found that he had tackled Todd and had knocked him to the ground, punching him repeatedly with his little fists. "Don't you ever talk about him like that again!" He said, saying each word with every hit he scored to Todd's body.

The others pulled him off and separated them, Benny still attempting to take swings at his opponent.

He was almost free of their hold when the bus arrived to take them to school. Everyone immediately released Benny and acted like nothing had happened, while Benny glared at Todd with a burning hatred as he got on the bus and sat down.

He felt… strange now. Now that he had done what Freddy suggested that he do, to stand up for himself, Benny felt a mixture of pride and regret.

Pride that he had finally defended himself and Freddy's honor, but regretful that he had given in to his anger and had done what he thought he could never do. He wasn't a fighter, not even close, but he knew that everyone had their breaking point, and that had been his.

He thought about how Freddy would react when he told him what he had done. Maybe he would be relieved to know that Benny had taken his advice to heart, or maybe he would be angry with him because he had sunk to their level.

Either way, Benny knew that he had done the right thing this time around, and he hoped that Todd would not bother him anymore after this. He felt braver now, and he knew that if others did not get the message, there would probably be another time like this one now.

When he got home, he would be sure to ask Freddy for advice this topic, but for now he had to worry about school. He hoped that he would get a good grade on his homework that Freddy had helped him with.

The golden bear was clearly very intelligent even if he was a plush toy, but still, that thought helped to calm him slightly. He had looked over his work after he had finished his Science, and from what he could tell, the answers were correct. He could have missed a few, but even so, he knew he would at least get an above average grade on it overall.

He stared out the window, thinking about his home life. He usually rides the bus home everyday after school, but sometimes Aaron picks him up in his truck when he misses the bus or has to stay after school to study or if he wanted to play computer games in the library.

His brother scared him. The rides home were often not very pleasant, with Aaron ranting and yelling at him about one thing or another. Leaving food out, forgetting to turn off the light after leaving a room, that sort of thing. He dare not cry during these moments, however, even if he really wanted to, because if Aaron saw so much as a tear, then the beatings would start when they got home, being ridiculed and put down for being 'weak' and 'too sensitive.'

Long rants about how he never wanted a brother, that Benny was the worst thing to ever happen to him, how much of a disappointment he was in his eyes. How much he hated him.

And during these times, Benny would run to his room and turn out the lights, crying until the dawn broke the next morning, and he would fear for his life.

Other times, when things got really bad, Freddy would come to ease his pain if it lasted into the night, holding his hand and whispering soothing words to him while Aaron screamed at Benny and threw things at the walls and cracked the plaster.

Freddy had almost come to Benny's defense quite a few times, had almost stood between them to protect his precious child from his worst nightmare. But now was not the time to reveal himself, he thought. That would come later, and soon, but not now.

Not yet.

He had told Benny that he had wanted to attack Aaron, cut him deep to the bone. Scar him for life, for eternity. Sometimes, he would go to his room when everyone was asleep, and just watch the human rest, resisting the growing urge to sink his teeth into his body and really make him bleed.

But all the times he watched as Aaron slept, peacefully and without fear, his thoughts would go to Benny and the pain and fear he was suffering at Aaron's hands, and the urges would persist and become stronger.

One day, he had come so close. He had approached Aaron's bed, his growing rage almost overpowering him, and his body had reverted to his 'attack' mode, claws longer and razor-sharp, teeth the same. Eyes a deep blood red.

And he stood there like that, growling deep in his throat. He had gripped Aaron's arm in his paws, mouth hovering over it for several minutes as he fought his desires to harm this monster.

He won his mental struggle, though, and released his unaware prisoner, walking back to Benny's room to settle for cuddling into his chest and stroking his hair while keeping guard until light streamed through the windows, keeping him safe until morning.

Benny woke up early each morning for school, and everyday, both when the child woke up and before he left for school, Freddy made sure to let him know how much he loved him, that he would always love him no matter what he chose to do.

Sometimes, he would sing to him, humming gentle tunes and melodies on the nights when the pain became too much for Benny to take. The soft melodies would help him to sleep and Freddy would lay curled up in his arms, purring contently and happily.

Aaron said that Benny would never be loved by anyone, that he would die alone, forgotten and rejected by everyone he knew. That was not true. Benny had him, his guardian angel and his best friend, to protect him until death. He had Freddy. Forever. And the gold plush bear had assured him that was all he would ever need, forever and always.

The bus then arrived at his school, and Benny broke away from his thoughts when everyone began to get off. He picked up his things and followed suit, entering the school as the bus drove away to take the kids who were in middle school to their own separate building, as was the case for every other day of the week.

He pushed open the doors, and entered the school, hoping that this day would be better. He hoped Freddy was right.

He hoped, with all of his heart, that today would be a better day.


End file.
